Toyota has “electrifying” plan for the Olympics in 2020

Brian Joss – Toyota Motor Corporation (Toyota), worldwide partner of the Olympic and Paralympic Games, today announced that it will provide a full line-up of electrified vehicles, including unique versions of certain vehicles as well as vehicles developed primarily to support the Olympic and Paralympic Games Tokyo 2020.

With its electrified line-up, Toyota, together with the Tokyo Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games, aims to achieve the lowest emissions target level of any official fleet used at the Olympic and Paralympic Games, and thereby also helping to reduce the environmental burden of the Games.

Toyota will provide a total of around 3,700 mobility and/or vehicles for Tokyo 2020. The majority, or nearly 90 percent, of the official vehicle fleet will be electrified. Electrified vehicles include Hybrid Electric Vehicles (HEV), Fuel Cell Electric Vehicles (FCEV), such as the hydrogen-powered MIRAI, Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicles (PHEV), the Prius PHV (known as Prius Prime in some markets), and Battery Electric Vehicles (BEV), including the “APM” (Accessible People Mover) and Tokyo 2020 the e-Palette as well as TOYOTA Concept-i, which have either been developed primarily for or as a unique version for use at the Games. Among the electrified vehicles provided, Toyota will include approximately 500 FCEVs and approximately 850 BEVs, the largest of any fleet for a Games to date.

Out of the approx. 3,700 mobility and/or vehicles for Tokyo 2020, most of the vehicles, 2,700, will be used mainly for transportation support between venues. These will be commercially-available vehicles, such as Mirai, etc.

Preliminary calculations suggest that the CO2 emitted by the commercially-available fleet for Tokyo 2020 will average less than 80 g/km*1, resulting in a reduction by approximately half of the typical amount when compared to a similar-sized fleet of mostly conventional petrol and diesel models. Additionally, further reductions are anticipated during the Games when combined with Toyota’s other advanced mobility, including the unique versions of vehicles or vehicles specifically designed for use at the Games. As such, Toyota aims to achieve the lowest emissions target level of any official fleet used at the Olympic and Paralympic Games.

Furthermore, to help avoid collisions and reduce/mitigate potential damage or injury, all of the commercially-available vehicles for staff transportation support will come equipped with Toyota’s preventative safety technologies, including “Toyota Safety Sense” and “Lexus Safety System +”.

Additionally, nearly all the commercially-available vehicles will also be equipped with Intelligent Clearance Sonar (ICS), designed to assist with braking in the event of unintended misapplication of the acceleration pedal.

Aside from the official fleet, Toyota will also support Games operations with other vehicles, including the mass-transit Fuel Cell Bus “SORA”, assistive vehicles that help lift passengers into their seats or are equipped with an attached slope to allow passengers with wheelchairs access to enter the vehicle via the back door, and other vehicles such as Fuel Cell Forklifts made and sold by Toyota Industries Corporation.

Toyota’s three main pillars for Tokyo 2020 centre on (1) Mobility for All, or allowing all people the freedom to move, (2) Sustainability, centring on the realisation of a hydrogen society (environment/safety), and (3) Transportation support for the Games using the Toyota Production System (TPS). With these three pillars, Toyota aims to provide mobility solutions that go beyond the traditional provision of vehicles.

Through its full line-up of electrified vehicles to reduce environmental impact and mobility solutions that combine TPS with diverse mobility, Toyota will support smooth operations for Tokyo 2020, while also supporting the transport of those attending the Games, including staff, athletes, and visitors. Furthermore, through its robots, Toyota will provide support of event operations and unique experiences, exceeding the general notion of what mobility means for the Games. These activities will be pursued while Toyota continues to challenge itself to provide “Mobility for All” by offering various mobility solutions to make Tokyo 2020 a one-of-a-kind event.